The publicity given the unit problem has left with the public
the impression that the problem of craft units v. industrial units is
synonymous with the conflict between the AF of L and the CIO.
Yet, from the inception of the Board until January 1, 1940, the AF of L requested that the Board find an industrial unit appropriate in 345 cases as compared with its request for a craft unit in
176 cases. The AF of L also asked in 6 cases out of the 345 that
skilled groups who wanted to separate be included in the larger
unit requested by them.1 Likewise, the CIO on occasion requested the Board to find a smaller unit than the AF of L was requesting in the same case.

A. The AF of L

In attempting to appraise and weigh the validity of the AF of L
and CIO positions, one must consider the realities of the organized
labor movement. The belief that the AF of L is now a "craft"
movement and that the CIO stands for industrial unionism is
largely erroneous. Throughout its history, the jurisdictional disputes of the AF of L have been to determine which union may
organize a group of workers, and no test is inevitably applied to
ascertain whether the workers are "craft" workers. All types of
unionism have always been found in the Federation, and this is
especially true since the split in the labor movement. Indeed, the
issue to the Federation itself is not one of defining crafts. Mr. Frey, of the Federation, testified:

". . . The term 'craft' is unfortunate in these days. It conveys an
entirely erroneous impression. There have never been pure crafts

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